On Thursday, March 28th, Le Cordon Bleu Paris had the pleasure of hosting the Culinary Competition finale, marking the beginning of this inaugural edition of a globally significant culinary contest open to non-professional adults.


In the initial selection phase earlier this year, teams of two were invited to represent their countries by submitting a video featuring a cooking recipe and a pastry recipe, both aligned with the theme "gastronomy and sports." Le Cordon Bleu Paris Chefs then selected the most creative and original recipes, resulting in the participation of 8 pairs who competed in the final held at Le Cordon Bleu Paris Institute.

Eight pairs of exceptional talents came from all corners of the world, from the United States to Brazil, Ecuador, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and France, all gathered to showcase their skills in culinary arts and pastry making.

The theme of the final, "Flavours and Colours of the World," was chosen to celebrate cultural diversity through gastronomy, highlighting the culinary richness of various regions across the globe.

Each pair had 2 hours to prepare two recipes during a "mystery box" challenge, with a compulsory ingredient in cooking: Yellow Landes chicken, and a compulsory ingredient in pastry: chocolate.

Each pair presented their creations before a jury composed of Chef Eric Briffard, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Arts - Head of Establishment, and MOF; Chef Fabrice Danniel, Vice-director of Culinary Arts; Rita Higgins, owner of Kubri restaurant in Paris; Jeanne Lecourt, pastry chef at Saint-James in Paris, along with three competition sponsors.

After 2 intense hours in the kitchen and a tasting evaluated by the judges, the announcement of the winners was eagerly anticipated.

1. Grand Prize: The Indonesian team won 1 Intensive Basic Cuisine Certificate and 1 Intensive Basic Pastry Certificate at Le Cordon Bleu Paris.
2. First Prize: The Ecuador team won round-trip economy class plane tickets from any origin to HongKong and 3 nights in a five-star hotel in Hong Kong, as well as an unforgettable culinary experience showcasing the vibrant flavours of Hong Kong, offered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, with the support of Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels.
3. Second Prize: The Lebanon team won 2 economy class return plane tickets to Quito or Guayaquil (Ecuador) offered by Air Europa and a 5-day, 4-night cruise to the Galapagos Islands offered by Metropolitan Touring.
4. Third Prize: The Uzbekistan team won 2 economy class return plane tickets Paris-Ottawa offered by Ottawa Tourism.
5.  Unique Prize: The recipes of the French team will be featured on the menu of Le Café Le Cordon Bleu Paris for one week.

All candidates demonstrated professionalism and showcased great culinary talent. Congratulations to them!

Le Cordon Bleu Paris extends its gratitude to all its partners for their generous rewards: Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Cathay Pacific, Pro Ecuador, Air France, Metropolitan Touring, and Air Europa.